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Sunday, June 26, 2016

ARE TRIPLE DIGITS REALLY ALL THAT IMPORTANT?

I am tired of all of the hoopla around Aroldis Chapman hitting triple-digits on the radar gun. I actually don't care. We need consistent hitting and starting pitching more than anything else before I can get excited about Chapman's swift throwing antics and the Stadium amping up the crowd around this "excitement."

"Each of Chapman’s 11 pitches Friday night in the Yankees’ 5-3 win over the Twins seemed like its own event and excited the announced crowd of 44,808 more than anything else in the game as he struck out the side to earn his 14th save," reported The NY Daily News on Saturday.

"The fans ooh and ahh as every pitch from the lefty flamethrower crosses the plate, and they collectively express astonishment again a moment later when the speed of the pitch is shown on the video board in center field." This exhibition is more like a side show at a circus than a baseball game. It's like the Yankees are using Chapman's arm as a mirage to distract us from the real business going on in the dugout and on the field. The real business of the Yankees just treading water among the youth surrounding them in the American League East and across baseball in general.

Did we forget that we have a great bullpen without Chapman? Or are the Yankees executing an strategic plan that will enable them to actually dump Chapman and others in order to rebuild? Will there be a fire sale soon after the All Star Break with Chapman at the helm?

So, maybe, yes, triple digits are really that important for us as part of our rebuild for the future. Thanks, for listening fans, and letting me work this all out. I feel much better knowing that the bullpen hype up around Chapman is merely to allow for brighter days in the future of the Yankees.